Photography and Writing by CJ Levinson

Month: March 2010

I love the Oscars. I’m a big movie buff so watching the Oscars is one of my favourite things each year. It always brings back a lot of memories, particularly of certain films and where I was at that time in my life. I can still remember when Roberto Benigni won; he was so happy and infectious, it made me look for Life is Beautiful, which is now one of my favourite films.

I’ve been looking forward to the Oscars this year. One reason is because I like Steve Martin but it’s also because we’re getting the telecast live this year, which is a bonus. In the past it hasn’t been shown live in Australia, so I’ve usually had to dodge the news and phone calls all day until finally watching a delayed telecast in the evening. This time I’ll be able to watch the whole thing live.

I tend to see most of the nominated films on DVD, so the only one I’ve seen so far is Avatar, and I’ve read the book of Precious (Push). I liked Avatar but to be honest I’m hoping (on reputation) that The Hurt Locker or Up in the Air win. Avatar was fun and it’s a brilliant technical achievement but the script was clichéd and some of the dialogue was terrible. It deserves to win most of the technical awards but I’d rather see The Hurt Locker win Best Picture. And Kathryn Bigelow Best Director. It’s about time a woman won. Finally.

I’d like to see Jeff Bridges win an Oscar at last but apart from that, I’m not really bothered about the other main awards. The one category I’d like to see an upset in is the musical score. I just don’t get Giacchino’s work; it all sounds like blaring horns to me. I think Alexandre Desplat deserves to win but it won’t happen.

Anyway, to get into the Oscar spirit I’ve written several haiku of my favourite films. I’ve tried to capture the spirit of each film and it was a lot of fun – although reducing Gone with the Wind to 17 syllables was very difficult!

There are fifteen haiku and each film was nominated for Best Picture. Only 10 of them actually won the Oscar, though. Can you tell me which ones didn’t win? 😉

Hope you enjoy them. Have you seen many of the Oscar nominated films this year?

The Ring of Power:
A burden none can carry
Except one so small
(The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)

Torn between
Love and virtue
Rick sends his love away
While Sam plays on
(Casablanca)

Dorothy dreams
Of witches and Oz
Of the Yellow Brick Road
And home
(The Wizard of Oz)

Mrs. Robinson
Seduces a younger man:
He loves her daughter
(The Graduate)

A love unrequited
Burns like the
Southern sun
And Scarlett’s spirit
(Gone with the Wind)

If life’s like
A box of chocolates
Why does love have
A bitter taste?
(Forrest Gump)

Young woman
Teaches children to sing
And finds love
As Nazis descend
(The Sound of Music)

Boy who walks the sky
Meets pirates and a princess:
The Force is with him
(Star Wars)

The underdog
Finally given his chance
To fly
Finds love instead
(Rocky)

A broken soldier
Finds solace among the Sioux
Before war returns
(Dances With Wolves)

The life of one
Reclusive man
Described in a single word:
Rosebud
(Citizen Kane)

Normandy
Blood on the water
Death in the air:
He still remembers
(Saving Private Ryan)

The life of a Don
Brutal and vicious:
Your son becomes you
(The Godfather)

Former boxer
Finds his voice against
The mob
To become a hero
(On the Waterfront)

Doomed voyage
Ends in icy waters
But their love will last
Forever
(Titanic)

Update: The Oscars finished about an hour ago. I found it disappointing after all that. Steve Martin & Alec Baldwin did quite well but it was too old-fashioned at times. The main problem was it had no momentum. By getting rid of the performances, it just dragged on and on.

Also, did I miss it or was Farrah Fawcett left off the In Memoriam tribute? Very strange. Quite underwhelming overall. But at least Jeff Bridges and Kathryn Bigelow won. About time too.